No Strings Attached
by SparkSparta
Summary: Sequel to It's Too Weird. They always knew getting into something like this was a risk, but it was risk they were willing to take. You can't choose who you fall in love with. That's why it's called 'falling in'. A Larry/Laney love story, with implied Carrie/Corey. Rated T, just to be safe.
1. Meeting Up

**People wanted it, and now they've got it! A LarryxLaney love story by me! Now, this takes place after ****It's Too Weird**, just so we can avoid any confusion. **Either way, I hope you all enjoy it. I adore this couple to death, so it's obvious I'll have fun writing this. xD **

**I regret absolutely nothing.**

**Visit my dA for artwork of this fanfiction. **

* * *

Laney rolled over in her bed, squinting her eyes as the morning sun penetrated through her eyelids. The warm beams of light shone through her curtains, silently telling her it was a brand new day. She sat up, stretching her stiff limbs as a smile spread across her face. The memories from last night flooded her mind, causing her cheeks to blush.

**...**

_A gust of wind made her shiver. Despite the warming weather, the late winter season still had a few last moments in Peaceville. Laney suddenly stopped shivering when Larry drapped his hoodie over her shoulders. A blush worthy of royalty overtook their faces. Larry pulled back hurriedly, rubbing the back of his head shyly._

_"S-sorry, Laney..."_

_"No, it's okay, Larry." Laney sheepishly smiled back at him. She was flattered; she was never treated like this before. That all too familiar feeling from the night of the dance came back to her. 'Not only does he treat me like a friend and an equal, he treats me like a lady...'_

_Larry fought against the shivers as the gusts of wind kept blowing relentlessly. 'Man, I hate the cold!' His eyes traveled to Laney, watching her as she snuggled into his hoodie. It was two sizes too big for her, but it was blatantly obvious it was keeping her warm. The smile on her face said it all. Larry's heart pounded against his chest. 'But I don't care...' He smiled. 'As long as she's okay, I'll be fine.'_

_They sat there in silence for what seemed to be hours, but was actually five minutes. Neither of them said anything; they just stared in unison, blushing with identical sheepish smiles. A sudden gust of wind caused Larry to shiver, and that triggered a sneeze. Laney blinked, realizing that he must have been fighting against the cold this whole time._

_"Larry, you need your hoodie," Laney said as she began to unzip the fabric. Larry shook his head, rubbing his nose. The smile was still plastered on his face. "Nah, I'm fine. You need it more than me."_

_Laney's heart skipped a beat. She smiled as she scooted closer to the Newmans bassist. "Here." She unzipped the hoodie, then wrapped one side around Larry, giving him some much-needed warmth. The sudden mixture of warm and cold skin temperatures caused them both to shiver, but they quickly got over it when they realized how close they were._

_Laney looked down shyly, her face tinged with red. "F-feel better?" Larry pulled his side of the hoodie over his shoulder. Although it didn't cover him completely, it was enough to fend off the relentless gusts of wind. Blushing, Larry nodded. "Y-yeah. Thanks..."_

_"You're welcome."_

**...**

She relaxed her body as she hugged her knees. The Grojband bassist never thought that Larry could be so nice and generous. He offered his jacket to her despite being cold himself. She smiled as her cheeks blushed...Corey would never do that. At least, not in a romantic way. She sighed when Corey appeared in her head; how could she tell them? How could she tell her friends she was dating one of their mortal enemies?

Well, ex-mortal enemy.

Her phone suddenly buzzed. She looked at her night desk, grabbing her phone. She snickered; she forgot she needed to charge her phone. Then again, who could blame her for forgetting? She swiped the text to the side to reply to it. She gasped when she saw the name._ 'Larry!' _She could feel her cheeks go a deep scarlet color as she read the text.

**Nepp:** _sup? u enjoy last nite? :)_

Laney giggled; his texts were so dorky! They always made her laugh for some reason. "Maybe it's because he seems to serious and well-mannered." Nevertheless, she pressed her fingers against the screen to reply to him.

**Penn:** _Yup! And yourself? :)_

**Nepp:**_ sick! the movie was excellent despite the cramped space. sorry i got you home late. :(_

**Penn:** _You got that right! XD Hey, no sweat. My dad just got a little irritated, but he let it slide. This time._

**Nepp:** _oh geez. i feel like ive made a bad impression! D:_

Laney couldn't help but laugh. What a dork! But he was a dork in a good way.

**Penn:** _LOLZ no way! Even if you were a few minutes late, Mom got him situated. You're in the clear, dude. ;D_

**Nepp:** _thank god. ur parents seem pretty cool. :)_

**Penn:** _Thanks. :) My mom seems to like you a lot._

**Nepp:** _that's a start. XD im glad we were able to enjoy last night without any conflict from u know who._

**Nepp:**_ ugh, Carrie's going on about nothing getting done, so i gotta go. talk to u latr?_

**Penn:**_ Oh, geez, good luck. I'll text ya!_

**Nepp:** _thanks. :) ur so cool. _

**Nepp:**_ and not just in the friend way either._

Laney blushed as she stared at the last two texts. Even though they were just little messages with poor spelling and grammar, she couldn't help but feel strangely happy about it. She turned off her phone and lied back down on her bed.

However, the gnawing thought of her friends kept taking away her fantasy. She rolled over, staring at the wall. She realized dating a Newman was a risk, but she didn't want to hide it from her friends...They deserved to know after all! But still...

"It's like Romeo and Juliet..." She sighed. "Brought together by love, separated by hate." However, a smile creeped up to her face. "And 'not just in the friend way, either', huh?"

Her phone buzzed again, and this time it was from Corey.

**Corey:**_ Lanes! I have a new idea for a gig! Meet me and Kin and Kon in my garage in an hour!_

**Penn: **_An hour?! Core, it's eight AM! I just woke up!_

**Corey: **_Well, good morning then! :DD_

Laney gave an exasperated sigh, but smiled. That made him get on the list of dork number 2.

**Penn:**_ Okay, okay. I'll see you later then._

**Corey:**_ Sweet! You're the best, Lanes!_

Laney had a bad feeling in her stomach despite of what happened. "I really hope Larry isn't going to do the same thing with Carrie..."

* * *

Larry walked into the garage with Carrie, annoyed on how early it was. "So, what did you want to show me at eight o'clock in the morning, Carrie?"

"Larry, I'm sure that eight AM is the latest you've ever slept!"

Larry stared at her with a dull expression on his face. Carrie just laughed, "just kidding!" They walked towards their instruments, spotting Kim and Konnie doing something that only they understood. Carrie coughed, grabbing their attention.

"Carrie!"

"What's up, Carrie?"

The two twins stood in front of Carrie, smiling as they awaited to see what their boss had in store. Truthfully, Larry wanted to see too, but didn't show it. He just nonchalantly crossed his arms and waited to see what she had up her sleeve.

The Newmans guitarist pulled out a slip of paper, revealing that an upcoming festival. Larry's eyes widened, "the Summer Solstice festival?"

"Correct, Larry!" Carrie smirked as she rolled up the flyer. "They're in need of a band for the whole week; this could be our big break! The Newmans are gonna rock this town onto the map after this!"

"Yeah! This'll so be so epic if we get the part!" Konnie cried, clapping her hands. Kim nudged her sister, "you mean when we get it!"

Larry grabbed the poster from Carrie, staring at it. Something wasn't right. "Uh, Carrie...?"

"Yeah, Lare?" Carrie looked at him, tuning her guitar. Larry pointed to the date. "This is a flyer from last year."

"What?!"

Carried grabbed the flyer from Larry in a haste, nearly ripping it. As her eyes scanned the typing, she began to howl in exasperation. "Aww, man! Why didn't I make the band last year?!"

Larry pulled out his phone and checked the time. Not even eight thirty yet. He sighed; he was exhausted, and it wasn't just from the early morning. He didn't get any sleep last night.

His mind traced back to last night, remembering how cold it was, but how warm Laney was. He never realized how warm a hoodie could make somebody. His mind went back to where he held her hand, and blushed. A small smile appeared on his face.

"Hey, Larry!"

"Eep!"

The bassist jumped when Konnie got in his face. He didn't even hear her! "Konnie, geez, don't do that!" The drummer grinned. "Sorry. I was just wondering if you were okay."

Larry blinked. Where did this come from? "Yeah, I'm fine...why?" Kim stepped beside her sister. "Are you sure? Your face is really red." The boy froze. He never realized how obvious that he blushing! Carrie turned away from the poster, taking a break from her lamenting.

"I bet he's got a crush~!" Konnie giggled, elbowing her sister. Carrie stepped through them both, staring at Larry. The bass player could feel himself shrink in her gaze. His heart pounded against his chest. _'Oh God, oh God, oh God...!'_

"Is it true, Larry?"

Larry gulped, laughing nervously. "Eheheh...I-is what true, Care?" Carrie's frown tilted upwards into a smile. "It's so obvious~! You've got a crush on someone!"

Larry froze. _'Oh sweet mother of all things rock and roll, don't let them find out! Not now!'_ Larry grinned nervously, sweating like a maniac. Carrie stared into his lime green eyes, still smirking. "Soooo?"

"So...what?"

"Is he cute, Lare?"

Larry stopped. He?

"...Wait, what do you mean 'he'?"

"Well, duh! You obviously aren't interested in girls because you're cool with hanging out with them!" Carrie started giggling at Larry's appalled face. Did she, Carrie Beff, of all people, accuse him of being gay?

Suddenly, the three girls started to howl with laughter. Larry continued to stare at them, frozen in his spot. Although the girls joked about him being the only boy in the band often, they never went this far. _'I swear, one day soon, these girls will be the death of me...' _He gave a snort, his dull expression returning to his face._  
_

"I'm only kidding, Larry!" Carrie clutched her stomach. "I know you're not into guys!"

"We just loved pushing your buttons!" Konnie said, rolling over the floor. Kim slapped her hand on the ground, giggling until her sides began to hurt. Larry stared ahead, walking over them.

"I really need to reevaluate who I'm friends with."

"Aww, come on! We said we were sorry, Lare!"

* * *

**And there you have it. xD I had to put the gay bit in the end, I'm sorry. XD  
**


	2. A Discouraging Alliance

**Damn you CN, when are you going to air more Grojband episodes? I want to see the damn Newamns. -_- **

**Anyway, enjoy this next installment! I'll try to make these longer and filled with more detailed, guys. I don't like writing short chapters unless they're one-shots. Larry(Lenny)/Laney 5ever. ;3**

* * *

"So, what exactly does this gig have in store for us, Core?"

Laney leaned against the computer chair, watching Kin and Kon conduct another insane science experiment. Corey waved the paper in front of Laney's face. "Helloooo! Earth to Laney Penn! This could be so EPIC for us!"

"But Core, I told you! This is last year's-"

"Shh." Core pressed his finger against Laney's lips. The red haired bassist gave him a dirty look as he smiled nonchalantly. When he released her lips, Laney continued from where she left off. "-Flyer! The gig probably isn't even official yet!"

"Lanes, easy." Corey wrapped his arm around her shoulder, still smiling. "I already have a plan in order to blow this town away!"

"Actually, Corey, we're trying doing that right now," said Kon as he looked up from the contraption. Kin was tightening some bolts while his brother kept the thing intact by lying upon it. Laney and Corey stared at the machine unblinking.

"Uh, Kin," Corey began, raising a finger. "What exactly will this thing do?"

"Simple math, my friend!" Kin poked his head out from the inside, grinning his known-too-well grin. Kon cringed, "oh, I'm not good at math, bro..."

"Kon, it's a figure of speech."

"Oh, whew!" Kon gave a relieved sigh and wiped his brow. Laney looked at Corey, who shrugged. Kin stood up, dusting his shirt off, smiling smugly. "Even if the festival isn't official yet, they'll know Grojband is ready to rock, with this!" He gestured to his machine, ignoring the look of disbelief on Laney's face. The machine looked like some kind of hybrid mix between a washing machine and dish washer with a lead pipe sticking out of the side. Laney rolled her eyes. She was never sure how Kin got his smarts, or the money to buy these kinds of things. Corey, however, had faith in Kin's contraption. "So, what does it do?"

"I'm glad you asked! It uses the molecular science of sound waves to..."

Kin's voice dragged on in Laney's mind, she wasn't able to pick up on every word the boy said. Hell, she didn't even know half of the definitions he used. Most of the science words he used were ones she never even recalled of hearing. Corey seemed to understand what he was saying by the expression of his face.

Laney sat down, listening to Kin ramble when her phone buzzed. She picked it up and it was from Larry. Instantly, her face began to flush red, and the bassist turned away to hide it. Not that any of the boys noticed anyway. They were too busy listening to Kin. Laney swiped open her text messages and read what Larry sent to her.

**Nepp:** _buh! Carrie's been goin on bout some kind of festival for some time now. its driving me crazy!_

Laney smirked, glancing back at the boys. Kin put his hands on his hips, beaming proudly. "...And that's why Grojband will win this festival this summer!"

Corey tapped his chin with a thoughtful look on his face. "So it just plays music really loudly and gives off really epic special effects too?"

"Basically!" Kin shrugged, not minding that Corey summed it up despite his in-depth explanation. Laney stared at Kin for a second, then typed in her reply.

**Penn:** _Tell me about it. Kin just babbled on how his new machine works for some festival as well._

Laney looked back at the twins, rolling her eyes. She shoved her phone back in her pocket before approaching the brothers. "Why didn't you just say that in the first place, Kin?"

"Because then, all this work wouldn't have a great explanation!" Kon cried as he jumped off the hybrid stereo and special effects box. Kin nodded in unison with his brother, earning another eye-roll from Laney. _'Boys.'_ Her phone buzzed, receiving a message from Larry.

**Nepp:** _huh thats kinda weird because Kim and Konnie just built somethin like that a few moments ago?_

**Nepp:**_ oh god Carrie has her axe near the thing!_

"Let's test it, guys!" Corey said as he grabbed his axe. Laney's eyes shrank. "Wait, Core, don't-!"

_**-EXPLOSIVE AXE TRANSITION~!-**_

Mayor Mellow tapped his foot, facing the two respective bands responsible for this. Both Grojband and the Newmans were covered in dirt and black gunpowder from the explosions. They all either stared at their feet or somewhere other than the wreckage.

The festival, or what was left of the festival, was now a wreck worthy of a F5 tornado. In the farthest point of the grounds stood the remains of Kin and Kim's clone sound and effect systems. Both respective scientists glared at each other.

Mayor Mellow, however, was glaring at both bands. "Now, I understand that this was some kind of test to see some kind of effect?"

"Actually, it was sound and effects combined together..." Kon said nervously as he poked his fingers together. Konnie rolled his eyes at him but was snapped back to Mayor Mellow by his tone. "I swear, one day you kids..."

"Listen, it's their fault for stealing our idea!" Corey cried as he pointed to Carrie's band. "_Our_ fault?! You Groj-barfs stole our idea!" Carrie shot back, glaring back at her genderbent doppelganger. She pulled Kim forward by her arm. "Kim had the whole machine set up before you even got the idea in your head!"

"So you admit to having it!" Kin cried, grinning as he found a loophole. Kim got up in his face, "yes, but we never tested it out until the moment you did!"

Kon pulled Kin away from Kim. "You were obviously spying on us so you could frame us!" Konnie then pulled Kim away from Kin. "No, _you_ were spying on us so you could frame _us_!"

"We wouldn't spy on you even if it meant trashing your band for eternity!" Laney shouted at Konnie. Larry then got by Konnie's side, glaring back at the Grojband bassist. "Likewise! I'd rather have my eyes bludgeoned out than watch your band play, Lamey!"

"That makes two of us, Lardy!"

Corey slapped his knee, laughing. "That was solid, Lanes!"

"Solid?! That was so weak it wrecked my whole wardrobe!" Kim cried as she flailed her arms. Kin snickered at Kon, "as if her clothes were in style at all!"

"You wanna rumble?!" Konnie shouted, glaring at the male twins.

Mayor Mellow pinched his temples, clearly getting aggravated by the bantering. Both bands shouted atrocities, threats, and taunts at one another, angering themselves and the mayor. Mayor Mellow looked at the picture of his mother, sighed, then faced both bands. He breathed in through his nose-

"QUIET!"

Instantly, both bands shut up, frozen in place with wide eyes. Mayor Mellow observed the bands and sighed, regaining his composure. "Now, let me lay out the ground rules."

"Rules?" Carrie spat, starting to speak up again. Mayor Mellow sent her a death glare, making her flinch. When he saw her back down, he turned coughed to regain his voice and cleared his throat. "Yes. Ground rules." He looked back at the wreckage and the people cleaning it up.

"Obviously, this isn't going to go unpunished." He turned back to the bands, crossing his arms. "And because you both used the same kind of machines, you both have to work together in order to not only fix this mess, but to raise enough money in order to fix the festival in time!"

Kin and Kim felt their glasses shatter. Corey looked like he was about to pass out and Carrie seemed to be holding back gags. Konnie and Kon winced in unison while Laney and Larry shared disgusted glances. Corey got on his knees, "Mayor Mellow, I beg you, anything but that!"

"I have to agree with Riffin on this." Carrie growled with a snort. "We'd take time in jail over this!"

Mayor Mellow merely shrugged. "You two got your bands into this." He glared at them. "And now, because you've ruined something like this for everyone, it's up to you both to take responsibility for your actions."

Corey and Carrie snarled at each other. The idea of the working together repulsed them and their bandmates equally. Well, almost all of their bandmates. Larry kept glancing at Laney through the corner of his eye, but she never looked at him once. A sinking feeling form in the pit of his stomach.

"But what are we supposed to do?"

Mayor Mellow shrugged again; now smiling. He held a picture of his mother close. "That's what you have to do. That's my mama always told me!" And with those last words, the man walked away with a smile on his face. Carrie put her hands on her hips, rolling her eyes. "Just great!"

"You said it, Carrie," Konnie said, glaring at Kin and Kon. Carrie turned to Corey, getting up in his face. "Listen, Riffin. We may have to work together, but that doesn't mean we actually will get up on stage with you!"

"I was just about to say the same thing, Newman!" Corey got up in her face, returning her glare. "We're going to rock this town with or without you! And it most likely will be without you!"

"Good! Because I'll never work with you! Not even if I fell for you!" Carrie gave one final snort before turning around and walking away with her friends. Corey gave a snort before shouting: "That makes two of us! My friends are too cool to be with you or your band anyway!"

Laney flinched, and even though she couldn't see it, Larry did too.

_**-REALLY BAD POSITION~!-**_

"I can't believe that Mayor Mellow is doing this to us!"

"Core, easy, it's not so bad."

Corey paced around the garage, ranting on how unfair this was. Despite Laney's best attempts at comforting and reassuring him, the lead singer was still pretty pissed off.

"It's so unfair, Lanes! We didn't even do anything!"

"Uh, we used another one of Kin's contraptions to try and make our eardrums explode, but instead, it exploded the entire festival for this year." The red headed bassist sent the keyboardist a glare. Kin noticed this and hid behind Kon. "Hey, I programmed it to be special, and it worked!"

"Yeah, at the cost of the festival!" Laney stomped her foot. "Do you know how many people go to this?!" Kin opened his mouth but Laney pressed her hand against it. "I was asking a rhetorical question!" She pulled away, still glaring. "But now that we have to work with the Newmans, things could get complicated! We can barely write lyrics as it is, what if they ridicule us on stage?!"

"Even they can't go that far!" Kon said, trying to sound optimistic. "The mayor said we have to work together, so if they do ridicule us before we ridicule them, the people would leave!"

Kin and Laney stared at Kon with dull looks on their faces. Kon blinked, clearly not getting at what they're staring at. "If we ridicule them, Kon, the outcome would more than likely be the same for us."

"Oh..."

Laney plopped down on the blue sofa, sighing. Corey was busy tuning his guitar to get his mind off everything. This was all too much for him. Suddenly, his phone buzzed and it was from Carrie.

**Carrie:**_ Listen up, Groj-barf! We don't like this anymore than you do, but the way I see it, the sooner we get this over with, the better! Let's meet in my garage 9 A.M. on the dot! Don't be late!_

Corey snarled. How did she get his number anyway?

**Corey:** _How did you even get this number anyway?! Besides, why should we come to your garage anyway?_

**Carrie:** _My sister gave it to me. And we should meet in my garage because it's big enough to hold all eight of us. Your garage can only hold four of you, and I don't feel like being interrupted by your bratty sister too!_

**Corey:** _Good point. Fine. We'll be there at nine. _

Corey pocketed his phone and continued to tune his guitar. "Guys, instead of meeting here for rehearsal, let's go to the Newmans garage."

"The Newmans garage?!"

"I know, I know, I don't want to go there anymore than you guys do." He rolled his eyes, faking a gag. "But she said it was big enough to hold us all in there and we'll be able to avoid Trina for a while."

"But what about lyrics, Core?" Laney asked, clearly concerned. For every gig they've had, they've relied on Trina's diary for lyrics. If they didn't bug Trina, they would have to rely on the Newmans for lyrics. And they didn't want to be outdone by their rivals in any way.

"No sweat, Lanes!" Corey smirked. "I have a crazy plan that just might work!"

"Does it involve getting us into more trouble?" Laney asked with a doubtful look on her face. "Not if it goes right, Lanes!"

Laney sighed, flopping onto her side. This was the worst situation ever. Her phone then buzzed, and it was from Larry again.

**Nepp:**_ hey i didnt mean to call ya 'lamey' like that back there..._

Laney felt a tug at her heartstrings. There was something about this text that made her feel sad and relieved at the same time.

**Penn:** _It's cool, I guess. I'm sorry I called you Lardy too..._

**Nepp:** _no problem._

**Nepp:** _wanna get somethin to eat? Carrie's been goin on about the same crap for hours and im sick of it._

**Nepp:** _plus, i kinda want to see u...alone..._

Laney's heart pounded as her face flushed red. She suddenly felt all warm and fuzzy inside. She cursed herself, why did her heart pick a Newman? _'Why does this stuff have to be so complicated?!'_ She looked at the texts again, reading them over in her head. She could almost hear Larry's voice saying that stuff to her. _'And why does this simple, stupid text make me feel so...weird inside?'_

However, she didn't want to leave him hanging. Against her better judgement, Laney typed in her reply.

**Penn:**_ Sure. Right after Corey's rant, I'll tell them I have to head home. Where do you want to meet?_

**Nepp:**_ meet me in the park gazebo. i have an idea :) _

**Penn:**_ I hope it's not a crazy one! XD_

**Nepp:**_ not unless you hate seafood. ;P_

* * *

**And there you have it guys. My second installment for this story. ;3 Enjoy!**


	3. Just a Bit Better

**Anyway, enjoy this next installment, guys! Hopefully this will be longer than the previous two chapters.**

**To see artwork of this fanfiction, head to my dA page.**

**Fixed a few errors and added some new stuff. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Laney walked towards the port, spotting the gazebo. The restaurant was right by the ports, and she could see the boats floating on the calm, dark waters. On both sides, the streets were riddled with shops of all kinds, couples, families, and bikers looking for an exciting night out. She smiled to herself. Spring really did bring out the best in people and nature; it connected them in a way.

Connected.

_'There's that word again...'_ Laney couldn't help but feel that her mental connection to Larry was brought upon. And it wasn't just from out of the blue. She always knew there was something different about Larry; she always felt it whenever they were face-to-face in their respective bands. But, she never could tell if it were hatred or compassion due to their rivalry. It was if the dance opened up a window of opportunity for them to realize it. Laney then noticed, for some reason since the dance, she found herself thinking about him. Regardless of whether it was his hair, his serious yet pouty expression, or his lucky token flip, Laney's thoughts drifted to him at some point in time each day.

"Maybe this was meant to be..." Laney felt her face flush lightly, but then it faded when Corey came into the picture. _'But then why did I develop a crush on Corey before Larry...? Maybe to give myself an excuse to ignore Larry and that feeling? Or because fate was preparing me to feel that way towards Corey, so then I would know which way was better?...This doesn't make sense...'_

Laney was so caught up in her thoughts, she bumped into someone without realizing. "Oh, sorry!"

"No, it's fi-! Laney!"

Laney looked up, meeting Larry's gaze. Their faces were inches away from each other's. The two bassist backed away quickly, beginning to blush a deep shade of red. A soft, awkward silence fell between them as they began to look up at each other. Larry smiled gently at her, watching her as she rubbed her arm. Laney noticed this and teasing raised a brow despite the red on her face.

"Like what you see?"

Larry flinched, his whole face beginning to flush scarlet. "N-no, I uh...!" The male bassist looked away as he rubbed the back of his head. Laney snickered, slapping her hand over her mouth. "You're such a dork, Larry!" Laney couldn't hold in her laugh. His reaction was perfect!

The Newmans bassist stared at his laughing date, trying to control himself. Although she just publicly humiliated him (sot of), her laugh was so contagious, he couldn't stay irritated at her. After a few snickers himself, both Larry and Laney regained their postures and walked towards their destination and went inside the restaurant. It was a simple seafood diner, and because they were so close to the port, the food was fresh on a daily basis.

Just like any other day, the place was packed with the hungry masses of Peaceville. However, this was new to both bassists. Laney scanned the interior, catching a glimpse of the pictures of the numerous coasts around the country, plaques of awards from past seaside competitions, and sailing decor from retired ships and sailors. Behind the greeting desk, there was a tank holding lobsters and snow crabs, and in between it was a small aquarium of mixed of local and imported freshwater fish. She could hear the sounds of the grills and clanking noises of silverware and plates from the kitchen. Laney turned to Larry as he came back with a buzzer. "I've never realized how popular this place is."

"Me too," Larry agreed. He showed her the buzzer and she took it. It simply said: _WAIT TO BE SEATED. LIGHTS WILL FLASH IF A TABLE IS AVAILABLE._ She gave it back to Larry as he continued speaking. "My parents say this was around since they were kids, and the food's been great ever since it opened." He pointed to the lobster and crab tanks, smiling. "Mainly because of their fresh lobster tails and crab legs. Those two give this place their reputation."

Laney snickered, raising a brow. "But aren't lobsters and crab legs really messy?" Larry grinned back at her, returning her expression. "I asked my dad the same question and he was like..."

Larry suddenly inhaled deeply, puffed out his chest, and pointed a finger to the sky. "Son! I'd by lying if I didn't tell you that the restaurant by the port sells the best, and I mean _the best_, lobster tails I have ever tasted!"

"HAHAHA!" Laney doubled over, clutching her stomach. Larry's accent impersonated an angry Scottish man! "Oh my God, dude, that was great!" She slapped her knee, howling with laughter. Larry laughed along lightly as he rubbed the back of his head. He never intended to do a Scottish accent, but it just came out before he knew what was going on! Laney laughed so loud, people who were eating or waiting turned their heads to the laughing duo.

The only thing that stopped them from laughing was when their table reminder buzzed. When the two calmed down, they noticed the mass of people staring at them, including their greeter. However, the greeter smiled simply and gestured to the right. "Your table for two is ready."

In a haste, the two blushing bassists followed the waitress to the back of the building. Despite the people staring at them in the beginning, Laney noticed the majority of people stuffing their faces with crab legs and individual parts of lobster meat. _'Larry's dad wasn't kidding! I think more than half the people here are eating just those two things!'_

Laney looked back at Larry, stopping in the nick of time. They arrived to a small both, obviously constructed for a couple on a date. The table was already set with plates, silverware, cups, and small candle-lit chandelier hanging above the table from a low ceiling. As they seated themselves, the greeter handed out their menus. "Someone will be with you shortly."

Thanking the greeter, Larry handed her the table buzzer and she walked away. Laney looked out to the windows, catching a glimpse of the floating boats. They varied in shapes, sizes, and colors, but they were still a sight to behold in a full moon. Laney suddenly found herself wondering what it was like to travel around in a small, roomy home. The scent of the salt and sight of the glorious sunsets and sunrises came off as romantic to Laney, and she smiled at the thought.

"Hey, Laney?"

The Grojband bassist snapped out of her thoughts, looking at Larry. "You okay?" He sounded worried. How long was she staring out the window? Laney smiled sheepishly, rubbing her arm. "Yeah, I'm fine! I was just daydreaming." Larry smiled at her. The girl did seem like a daydreamer; he wasn't sure why thought that way. But he brushed it off, deciding it'll be more clear in the future. He wasn't one for overthinking things too much.

As Laney flipped through the menu, Larry decided on getting an appetizer to start off. Laney nodded, agreeing on the shrimp nachos for an appetizer. For some reason, she's always wanted to try something like that. Once their waiter came over with a pitcher of water to start off, they ordered their appetizer. It was only after the waiter left when Laney noticed the place getting quieter.

She glanced around the restaurant, noticing that a few tables that were once full were now empty. "Wow. Are people leaving early or did we arrive late?"

"I think it's both," Larry said with a snicker. He smiled at Laney and she smiled at him. The quiet atmosphere and dim lighting suddenly set the mood for a peaceful dinner date. Laney's heart skipped a beat when Larry shyly took her hand in his on the table. Like before, the two sat there in a soft, awkward silence.

"...As tense as this is, I have to admit, this is nice..." Larry's eyes drifted away, but Laney's smiled pulled them back. She nodded in agreement. Laney could feel the warmth of Larry's hand spread up her arm as her face flushed a deeper shade of red. "I agree...It's rare that I get to do something like this nowadays."

"I know the feeling. Trust me." Larry suddenly rolled his eyes. "The girls pulled a gay prank on me this morning."

"Oh yeah?" Laney grinned. It was pretty funny that it was normal for a girl to be considered 'one of the guys' and still be classified as straight until proven otherwise. But for boys, they most likely weren't as lucky. However, Laney still thought it was half amusing and half insulting on both sides of the spectrum. Nevertheless, Laney still maintained a straight face and listened to Larry as he explained.

"So, then Carrie asks 'is he cute, Larry?'! Ugh!" Larry facepalmed, mentally cursing himself for falling into something like that. Laney let out a little snicker, patting his hand comfortingly. "Man, that must have been embarrassing! I bet-!" She stopped.

Laney's eyes shrank as her whole body froze. Larry blinked, shaking her by the shoulder. "Laney? Hey, you okay? What-?"

"Get down!"

Laney suddenly pulled Larry's under the table, coming down with him. The Newmans bassist stared at her with an expression mixed with confusion and concern. "What's your problem? You look like you've just seen a ghost!"

"Believe me, it's worse than ghosts!" Laney whispered, looking out from under the table. Larry looked out too, wanting to see what's gotten his date so riled up. "What are you-?" He gasped, his body going to a state of paralysis. "No...why tonight?!"

Not far from the table were Kin and Kon, facing their way.

_**-THEY'RE GONNA GET CAUGHT~!-**_

Corey walked up towards the door at Laney's house. He had been trying to get ahold of her for about an hour, and so far, nothing. That was weird for Laney; she always replied to him within the a five minute radius. Especially if it involved music.

"Sheesh, what's keeping her?" Corey raised his fist and knocked on the door. He could hear some shuffling sounds from behind the door, silence, and then more shuffling. The blue haired bassist blinked, looked around, then turned back to the door when it opened. The outline of a male figure appeared in front of Corey as the door swung open. Corey grinned nonchalantly. "Hey, Mr. Penn!"

"Hm. How are you Corey?"

"Meh...Hanging in there, sir." Corey rubbed the back of his head as Laney's father stared at the young bassist. The teen coughed awkwardly before continuing. "I-is Laney home? I've been trying to get in touch with her for the past hour and she hasn't been answering me."

"Sorry, she's not." The man of the house began to close the door slowly. "She's been out for the past hour and half. Try again later or tomorrow morning."

"W-wait!" Corey grabbed the door, holding it open. "What do you mean Lanes isn't home?"

"Exactly that, Riffin. She hasn't been home for a while; probably out with-"

"Honey!"

Both Laney's father and Corey flinched at the sound of Laney's mother's voice. Her father turned back, whispered to her. Corey stood there awkwardly, trying to decide whether to eavesdrop or sit and wait to give them their privacy. He couldn't help but wonder what her father was going to say before being cut off.

After a little while, Corey was face-to-face with Laney's father again. "Eh, sorry about that, Corey..." He cleared his throat before continuing. "Like I said, Laney isn't home. She's probably out with her new girl friends."

Corey blinked. Laney hanging out with girls? "Wait, then why isn't she answering me?" Her father shrugged. "Seeing a movie maybe. Stop by tomorrow, I'm sure she'll be home then."

The guitarist looked down, weighing his options. He sighed and nodded before looking back up at Laney's dad, and smiled. "Thanks for letting me know, sir."

"Anytime, Corey. Have a good night." Mr. Penn then closed the door, leaving a confused and slightly hurt Corey on the doorstep. He couldn't help but think something was going on. Something that Laney didn't want him to know. Why else would her parents have a whisper fight like that?

"What are you up to, Lanes?"

_**-HE SUSPECTS SOMETHING~!-**_

Larry and Laney stared at the Grojband twins, their hearts pounding against their chests. If they were spotted together, not only would their friends yell at them until kingdom come, but their secret would be out! Everything they've worked for would be gone! Although they didn't realize it now, but their hearts have grown accustomed to each other and longed for one another's presence when the other wasn't around. Little by little, they were falling in love with each other.

However, now wasn't the time for thinking of that and they both knew why. Kin and Kon were as energetic as usual, and Laney knew she was bound to be spotted if she and Larry stayed at their table. But how could they leave when they just recently ordered? Not only would it be insulting, the restaurant would probably call the police on them even if they did leave money on the table.

That only left one option.

Larry looked at Laney, noticing a change in her expression. She stared at him, studying her date with an intense gaze. Larry stared at her and started to feel himself shrink in her gaze. What was she planning?

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

Laney gasped. "I have an idea!" She slapped her hands over her mouth. That was almost a little too loud. "Well, what is it?" Larry was dying to know. Anything would be better than just hiding under the table looking like a bunch of cowering rabbits. Laney checked to see if Kin and Kon were looking.

The twins were chatting on what kind of science project to make next. Laney cursed at them mentally. _'Idiots! Don't they realize that it was a science experiment that got us into trouble in the first place?!' _But in one quick motion, Laney grabbed a hanging trenchcoat and fedora from a hanger behind their booth and shoved them into Larry's arm. "Quick! Put these on!"

"Wait, what-?"

"Larry, there's no time to question it!" Laney's head kept flicking back and forth, trying to see how much longer they had until one of them actually spotted the two bassists. "Hurry!"

Larry sighed. He didn't like it, but they had no other choice. Puling the trenchcoat over his shoulders, he buttoned it up and placed the fedora on his head. The sleeves flopped over his hands; Larry was basically swimming in the jacket! "Laney, this thing's huge!" Suddenly, an odd odor invaded his nostrils, and the Newmans bassist inhaled lightly on the collar flaps. Almost instantly, he turned away with his nose scrunched up. "Ugh, it stinks too!"

"I know, I know, but just please bear with it for a while?" Laney grabbed his hands as they moved from under their table and back on their booth seats. She knew it wasn't the greatest plan, but at least people wouldn't recognize Larry at first glance. "We'll take it off as soon as they leave."

Larry looked at her from under the fedora, his eyes pleading to both her and himself that this would work. Laney smiled softly at him, placing her hand on his inside the sleeves. "And as a reward, I'll buy you whatever dessert you want, okay?" Larry's lips turned upwards into a small smile. "Okay. You got a deal, L-."

"Hey look, it's Laney!"

The bassists froze. Even though Larry's disguise was good for first impressions, they both knew they would be at risk of being found out if Larry was examined at a closer inspection. As Kin and Kon walked over, Laney and Larry unhooked their hands out of the sleeves and placed them back onto the table. When the twins got close enough, Larry pulled the fedora down and looked down at his menu, pretending to figure out what to order.

Laney waved at the two boys, trying her best to shield her anxiety. "H-hey, guys! What's up?"

"What's up? You wanna know what's up?" The twins were grinning ear to ear, scaring Laney slightly. Why were they so giddy? Nevertheless, she nodded as her smile remained on her face. "Yeah, that's why I asked!"

Kin showed her a small brochure in a pamphlet, revealing a picture of a snow crab and lobster. The paper read: _ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT SNOW CRAB LEGS FOR TWO AT TWENTY PERCENT OFF._ Laney's heart sank. Kin and Kon would never leave if something like this was going on tonight!_ 'D'oh!'_ Larry mentally slapped himself. How could he have forgotten something like that?

Kon took the paper out of his brother's hands. He was shaking so much from the excitement that he looked like he was about to take off to the moon. "They only have these all-you-can-eat discounts every six months, so we're taking full advantage of it tonight!"

"We're gonna eat crab legs until we puke!"

The brothers laughed and slapped a high five while Laney tried her best to hide a disgusted expression. _'One day soon, I'm going to reconsider who I'm friends with.' _Kon then noticed Larry, but clearly didn't realize it was the Newmans bassist. However, that didn't stop him from asking. "Laney, who is this guy?"

"And why are you sitting with him?"

Larry and Laney mentally exchanged worried glances. Laney racked her brain for answer as Larry started to sweat. He begged her to speak soon or else the brothers would become suspicious.

"...This is my...Uncle...Felix! Yeah!" Laney laughed nervously, gesturing to Larry. "He's visiting from, uh, Newtech!" Larry cleared his throat and waves to the boys. "Good evening, young ones!" His voice wasn't that much deeper, but it was enough for any suspicion to die down. Kin and Kon leaned in towards Larry, examining him as if he were an x-ray. Larry could feel himself sweating in the heavy jacket, but maintained his posture.

"Well, he does look like you, Laney." Kin said as he pulled back. He still tapped his chin though. Something didn't add up to him.

"We thought you were on a date, Laney!" Kon said, grinning childishly. Both bassists froze. Did they know? Kon then shrugged. "But I didn't think you'd be into guys, Laney."

Laney froze while Larry's eyes widened behind his hat. _'Wait...don't tell me...'_ Laney looked from side to side, clearly confused. "What do you mean, Kon? Of course I'd be into guys!" Kin shrugged, seemed to nod along with his brother. "Well, we'd just assume you'd be into girls too considering you're a guy like us."

Something inside Laney snapped. Larry had to bite his tongue. He wasn't sure if it was to restrain himself from either laughing or going into a fit of rage for her. _'Oh God, the freaking irony!'_

Laney was fuming mad. "I'M NOT A GUY!" Her hair sparked into flames, snarling as she stood up on the booth, towering over the two twins. Kin and Kon shrank under Laney's rage. The two squeaked in fear and raced back to their table.

Laney snorted and sat back down in a slump. "Man, I hate it when people do that!" Larry snickered as he took off the fedora. "Now you felt my pain this morning." His grin mocked her in a way, but she knew he didn't imply any malice with it. The Grojband bassist sighed, burying her face in her arms. "What's so hard for people to understand that I'm not a dude?"

"Well...You don't look like a dude to me."

Laney looked up at Larry. He had taken the trenchcoat and fedora off due to Kin and Kon's getaway. He scooted closer to her and rubbed her back comfortingly. "In fact, it's pretty obvious you're a girl." Laney stared at him, beginning to blush. The Newmans bassist rubbed the back of his head shyly. His cheeks morphed into a deep shade of red. "Actually, I've always thought you were really pretty despite our band rivalries..."

"Y-you...Really?" Laney eyes glimmered. Did her main rival of the Newmans, Larry Nepp, of all people, just say that she was pretty? Her heart bounced against her ribcage with joy. Larry nodded, smiling bashfully at her. Laney suddenly smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pulled him into a hug. Larry felt his body freeze up. _'W-whoa! Holy God, she's hugging me!'_

Laney rested her head on his shoulder, her smile stretching to the very limits of her face. "Thanks for saying that, Larry...Nobody's ever told me that besides my parents..."

Larry blinked, slowly wrapping his arms around his date. Was she being serious? Were her bandmates that oblivious to her actual sex, or were they just joking around? Either way, Larry could understand why she'd hug him like this, and it made him pretty annoyed that her own friends don't really take her feelings into consideration. All the proof he needed of that was the little dialogue that Kin and Kon said about five minutes ago.

When the two bassists pulled away, they continued to stare at each other in the same, soft yet awkward silence from the very beginning. For some unknown reason, they couldn't stop staring into their eyes as they sat there, smiling and blushing. It felt like an eternity when the two finally pulled away, only because their shrimp nachos finally arrived. The duo asked for it to go. Kin and Kon were still there, they were just momentarily hiding.

Laney turned to Larry as the waiter returned with both their bag and check in hand. "I bet they'll be pretty confused to see us gone."

"You mean you and your Uncle Felix," Larry said with a wink. Laney's cheeks flushed lightly, but they both shared a hearty laugh. Life was full of surprises these days. As Laney slid out the booth and Larry placed the money and tip under the cup, they both saw Kin and Kon peek out of the bathroom.

Which was not far from their table.

Larry nudged Laney. "Run." And the two zoomed out like two bats out of hell.

_**-WICKED COOL TRANSITION~!-**_

"Well, that was certainly "romantic", Larry." Laney replied sarcastically, grinning. The couple was sitting in the park not far from the gazebo, finally able to enjoy a quiet night alone. Larry snorted as he scooped up some cheese from the pile. "Hey, it wasn't my fault it's an all-you-can-eat night! I blame the manager!"

"That's pretty ironic because we're both the managers of our bands," Laney said as she shoveled some shrimp into her mouth. "At least, self-appointed band managers."

"Yeah, I know, right?" Larry's mouth was stuffed with chips. "Because God forbid we see some organization."

"Or some actually lyrics from our own lead singers."

Larry blinked. "What do you mean?" Laney looked up, realizing she spilled the secret to Grojband's latest success. Oh, who was she kidding? Corey relied on Trina's diary ever since their debut, and every time after the gig, he says a monologue that could have been lyrics in the first place. She sighed, picking at the shrimp with her plastic fork. "Well, usually when Grojband has a gig, Corey relies on his sister's diary for lyrics."

Larry stared at Laney. _'Is she serious? I didn't think those two had that bad of a sibling relationship.'_ He looked down at his nachos. Then again, he's only been dating Laney for a few days. While they may have had a mental and emotional connection, there was still plenty of stuff to learn about each other as long as they were going to date. Time would tell everything, but some things were better left unsaid. Larry didn't want to admit it, but he he did feel a little sympathy towards Corey. "Don't you think he should write his own lyrics?"

"That's the ironic thing. He does, but he just doesn't realize it." She sighed, lifting a piece of shrimp to her lips. "But on the other hand, I notice them. And I point it out to him, but he never really pays attention."

Okay, sympathy gone. Whenever he writes lyrics for his band, Carrie always pays attention and even gives him tips on how to improve it. Larry's eyebrows furrowed. What kind of band singer doesn't pay attention to the very words he speaks? "So, in a way, he doesn't notice you unless it involves music?"

"Well, no, of course not!" Laney cried, sensing Larry's growing animosity towards Corey. "Of course Corey cares about me, and Kin and Kon. In fact, he really sticks his neck out for us sometimes. He's just oblivious towards every thing that's not music!" She flinched, remembering how many times she has tried to get him to see how she felt, but continuously got shot down. Laney sighed, "it's just...He's so focused on getting all these gigs, he doesn't know how to get them himself."

Larry blinked, slowly feeling calmer. He didn't like that Laney wasn't really paid attention to in the band; isn't being mistaken for a boy and having your crush oblivious to you enough? However, he understood why Corey would act like that. When you're doing something you love, your passions could lead you anywhere in life. He placed a hand on Laney, smiling softly. "I'm sorry I asked...I don't want to make you upset, Laney."

Laney smiled up at him. She wasn't sure why, but having Larry beside her made her feel much more calm and happier. "Don't worry about it, Larry. I'm sure Corey will have to write his own lyrics sooner or later."

"Well, he's gonna have to at least pitch in for practice tomorrow."

"That's true!" Laney said with a laugh. The two bassists chuckled before standing back up, tossing away their trash. As Larry tossed the trash away, he got a whiff of his sleeve. "Hm?" He pulled it and down and sniffed his sleeve. He nearly gagged. "Ugh, geez!"

"What?" Laney asked as she adjusted the park table. Larry walked back to her, dusting off his shirt. "My shirt reeks from that sweaty trenchcoat!" He smirked at her, scaring her slightly. "You still owe me a dessert from earlier."

Laney then smirked and playfully punched his arm. "All right, all right, I'll treat ya, dude. Got anything in mind?"

Larry smiled. Indeed he did.

**...**

"Thank you very much! Come again."

Larry and Laney walked away from the ice cream booth, hand in hand. Larry was licking his two scooped mint chocolate chip cone as Laney enjoyed her own single scoop chocolate cone. Of all the flavors of ice cream, Laney never would have guessed that her date would be a sucker for something like mint chip.

"My dad got me hooked to it," Larry said as he downed the first scoop. He was smiling like a kid in a candy store. "I'm usually not one for minty flavors but that's where the chocolate comes in."

"Oh, I see."

Larry and Laney walked past the crowded sidewalks, talking about school or how they got into music. When they came across an empty bench, they sat upon it and indulged in their treats until the crowds died down. It wasn't until nine o'clock that Larry asked if Laney had a curfew.

"Yeah." She rolled her eyes. "My dad's been on my case about it since we arrived late that one night from the movies." Larry blushed at the memory. It was pretty obvious on why Laney's dad scared him to bits after that ordeal. Either way, the Newmans bassist stood up and extended his hand to her.

"Well, we don't want him to worry a second time, do we?"

Laney smiled and took his hand. They began walking towards Laney's house. "Well, I don't think he'd let it slide a second time."

"Yeah, I'm not too keen on the chances either. I don't want to be butchered alive because I arrived a minute late." A sheepish smile was plastered on his face. Laney laughed as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Don't worry, my mom will cool him down for you if that ever happens!"

_**-WICKED COOL TRANSITION~!-**_

Larry and Laney walked up Laney's porch. The light went on, drawing in moths and alerting her parents that someone was outside. Laney knocked on the door before turning around and facing Larry. "Will be able to get home safe?"

"Yeah, my dad's on his way." Larry smiled as he showed her the texts. "He should be here any moment now."

"Cool." Laney smiled, then looked down at her feet. "Thanks for taking me out again, Larry. I had a lot of fun despite our close call." She looked up at him sheepishly. Her cheeks were painted a vibrant scarlet color. Larry's face wasn't far off from that color either. He returned the bashful smile as he rubbed his head for the billionth time that night. "Hey, no problem, Laney." His mind was screaming at him. _'Kiss her, dammit, kiss her! You were too shy to do it after the movie dat, so do it now!'_

The only sound after that were the crickets chirping. The two bassists stared at each other in shy silence, smiling ever so softly. As they stared in each other's eyes, they slowly leaned in towards each other's lips. Laney's heart pounded against her chest, feeling his warm breath hit her skin. Larry lifted up his shaking hand and lifted it into Laney's hair, closing in on her lips.

_'Oh my God, I'm going to kiss her!'_

Their lips brushed against each other. They leaned in, slowly awaiting for-

_HONK!_

The two could have jumped to Pluto. Larry looked over his shoulder in a haste, spotting his dad's car on the side of the road. His father honked the horn again as he leaned out of the window. "That's my boy! Bring her in, son!"

"DAD!"

Laney snorted, covering her mouth with her hand. Larry was red to the tips of his ears. Then again, so was she. Laney brushed back her hair as Larry faced back to her, coughing awkwardly. "W-well, I'll see you tomorrow?" He sounded a little bummed.

"Sure thing." Laney smiled, noticing the changing tone in his voice. "Let's go to the bowling ally. How about an hour or two after practice? I'll text you?"

Larry smiled and nodded. "It's a date." His eyes twinkled, and then he saw a similar twinkle in Laney's. The two began to lean in to try again. It was a lot faster due to Larry's dad watching, but it would be worth it. As soon as Larry's lips brushed against Laney's, they both heard the door open, and they were faced with Mr. Penn.

For a moment, time stood still.

**"...GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY BABY GIRL!"**

"Ahh! Dad!"

"See you tomorrow, Laney!" Larry ran like an olympic medalist. He opened up the backseat door and dove inside, curled into a ball to protect himself from Mr. Penn's rage. His father turned to him and smiled. "Had a good night, son?"

Larry looked up at his dad, still shaking but managed to smile slightly. "It could have gone a little better, pops."

* * *

**And here is my third installment for this story. ;3 Enjoy!**


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